Does kindling model anything clinically relevant?

In this theoretical review, the value of the kindling phenomenon in enhancing our understanding of clinical disorders associated with epilepsy is evaluated. The kindling phenomenon is first described. Kindling is suggested to be a viable model of complex partial seizure (CPS) disorders with secondary generalization. Moreover, it is shown how kindling has been used as a conceptual tool which suggests novel psychiatric therapies. Finally, the value of kindling as a model of psychopathology associated with limbic epilepsy is discussed. It is concluded that studies of the effects of kindling on emotional behavior may offer a model of how limbic seizures in humans increase the vulnerability of patients to external precipitants of psychopathology, including anxiety and depression. Studies of the effects of kindling on dopaminergic function are also reviewed. This line of investigation holds promise for enhancing our understanding of hyperdopaminergic consequences of limbic epilepsy. Furthermore, these studies have created testable hypotheses that may explain the complex relationship between epilepsy and psychosis.